Former CIA Head Criticized for Tweeting That Jews Should Be “Empathetic Champions” of Palestinians

John Brennan, the former CIA director during the Obama administration, is being criticized for tweeting on April 28 that Jews should be “empathetic champions” of Palestinian rights. Brennan was promoting his April 27 New York Times op-ed arguing that the Biden administration needs to focus on ensuring that the Palestinians receive statehood and blamed Israel for the lack of progress on that front.

Brennan, quote-tweeting his op-ed, wrote, “I always found it difficult to fathom how a nation of people deeply scarred by a history replete with prejudice, religious persecution, & unspeakable violence perpetrated against them would not be the empathetic champions of those whose rights & freedoms are still abridged.”

I always found it difficult to fathom how a nation of people deeply scarred by a history replete with prejudice, religious persecution, & unspeakable violence perpetrated against them would not be the empathetic champions of those whose rights & freedoms are still abridged. https://t.co/ALYPSXy2qP

— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) April 27, 2021

Various Jewish and pro-Israel Twitter users criticized Brennan for this tweet. “Using Jewish history, [including the] Holocaust, as a cudgel against #Israel is obscene,” American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris tweeted in response to Brennan. “Jewish history means [Israel] must take any threat to its existence seriously & rely on itself. Israel needs a Palestinian partner to make peace. Alas, that partner has been MIA [missing in action] since 1947.”

Outrageous.

Using Jewish history, incl. Holocaust, as a cudgel against #Israel is obscene.

Jewish history means 🇮🇱 must take any threat to its existence seriously & rely on itself.

Israel needs a Palestinian partner to make peace.

Alas, that partner has been MIA since 1947. https://t.co/jhJhPkFEaD

— David Harris (@DavidHarrisNY) April 28, 2021

Stop Antisemitism tweeted that Brennan’s tweet was “how to bash Jews without being too obvious about bashing Jews” and added that Brennan is a “hypocrite” for perpetuating “inmate torture during the Bush/Iraq war era.”

How to bash Jews without being too obvious about bashing Jews. 

You helped perpetuate inmate torture during the Bush/Iraq war era- sit down hypocrite. https://t.co/LbRPagmMLr

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) April 28, 2021

Batya Ungar-Sargon, deputy opinion editor of Newsweek, tweeted, “There’s a word for holding Jews to a higher standard than everyone else: It’s called anti-Semitism. But there should be a special word for holding Jews to a higher standard than everyone else due to the very persecution and genocide that was inflicted on us throughout history.”

There's a word for holding Jews to a higher standard than everyone else: It's called anti-Semitism. But there should be a special word for holding Jews to a higher standard than everyone else due to the very persecution and genocide that was inflicted on us throughout history. https://t.co/suG1sNokEX

— Batya Ungar-Sargon (@bungarsargon) April 28, 2021

The Elder of Ziyon blogger wrote in a blog post that Brennan’s tweet was essentially “saying that Israeli Jews are heartless monsters who don’t care about Palestinian human rights,” which the blogger argued is false. “During this holy month of Ramadan, Palestinian youths are celebrating by attacking religious Jews for fun and TikTok videos,” Elder of Ziyon wrote. “The issue, as always, isn’t whether Palestinians deserve human rights. No one argues with that. The issue is how to best balance Palestinian human rights with Israeli human rights.”

Gilead Ini, senior research analyst for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting Analysis, also tweeted, “Try fathoming someone effectively saying this: The lesson you Jews *should’ve* learned from the Holocaust is not to worry so much about your own physical security and not to take seriously genocidal calls by Palestinian leaders.”

Try fathoming someone effectively saying this:

The lesson you Jews *should've* learned from the Holocaust is not to worry so much about your own physical security and not to take seriously genocidal calls by Palestinian leaders. https://t.co/qQn2Mg4BR1

— Gilead Ini (@GileadIni) April 28, 2021

Rabbi Michael Adam Latz, on the other hand, defended Brennan. “We have not exercised moral leadership to end the occupation,” he wrote in response to Harris. “What is obscene? Palestinians are denied their human rights. Jewish history means we must use our power with compassion, justice, & dignity. Alas, what is MIA is moral courage & conscience.”

What is outrageous? We have not exercised moral leadership to end the occupation.

What is obscene? Palestinians are denied their human rights.

Jewish history means we must use our power with compassion, justice, & dignity.

Alas, what is MIA is moral courage & conscience. https://t.co/ikCNCchhId

— Michael Adam Latz 🇺🇦☮️ (@RavMABAY) April 28, 2021